College of Health, Agriculture and Natural Sciences hosts inaugural doctoral defense webinar
27 October 2021
The College of Health , Agriculture and Natural Sciences held the first doctoral defense seminar in the history of Africa University online for Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health candidates in the college who shared the results of years of research and hard work . The doctoral thesis defense or Viva Voce is an oral examination at the culmination of a PhD where the candidate provides an oral defense of their thesis . It is comprised of a committee of both internal and external examiners who look through the work of the candidate. The Africa University D.Phil defense was a public event staying true to the institution’s commitment to community engagement and shared learning inspiring candidates in doctoral programmes across the university and at other institutions and giving undergrad and postgrad students a glimpse into the rigors of education at this high level.
Opening the webinar, Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Machakanja congratulated the candidates on their perseverance and determination that brought them to this point in the doctoral process. She went on to highlight the objectives of the programme, the intentions behind its inception and the means of its instruction.
” We appreciate your tenacity and sheer will of spirit throughout your studies. It is not easy but you have made it this far. The objective of the D. Phil in Public Health is to develop high caliber health professionals especially in the control of diseases. The programme inculcates within candidates the discipline and curiosity required for the meaningful development and contribution to the knowledge economy. Africa needs to become a global player in this arena and programmes such as these build capacity in this regard.”
Three doctoral candidates defended their respective theses that touched on women’s health, drug resistant TB in communities and urban water challenges. These were:
Chipo Chimamise- Lived Experiences of Obstetric Fistula Survivors in Zimbabwe.
Ronnie Matambo- Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Zimbabwe: A Cohort Analysis of Cases Initiated on Treatment and Followed up at District Hospitals and Urban Polyclinics 2010–2015: Implications on Survival.
Tichaona Goto- Conjunctive use of different sources for domestic water supply in urban areas of Zimbabwe. The case of Budiriro High Density Area